Colonnade Fountain

After lunch we took Luke and Laney (Luke mostly) to see a fountain we drive by often. It's beautiful from the road and even more impressive up close. Laney wasn't sure about the grass on her feet.

As we were pulling away from the fountain we noticed a race car in the hotel lot next door. So we pulled up to take a look...

before church

Laney's new friend

We had some friends over last night and the babies loved hanging out with a "big" kid. Laney especially wanted to play his video games. She was hilarious...she scooted as close as she could without being in his lap.

Meanwhile, Luke was prancing around in his diaper...

Sam's weekend at the beach

Sam went to the beach with Grandee and Pappy this weekend. They had beautiful weather. It's always nice when grandparents can have some time with just one of the kids.

They came across a cool sand turtle.

Sam made a point not to get his clothes wet.

Buzz Lightyear made an appearance at the pumpkin contest.

Buzz also made a new friend, his build-a-buddy alligator. (Sam is convinced it's a dinosaur.)

I'm a little jealous of the view they had from their balcony.

There was this little cutout in their suite. From what Grandee said, Sam enjoyed sitting up there often.

You may notice his patch. The ophthalmologist has decided to try a patch 4 hours a day for the next 3 months. We'll go back in mid-January and see if his eye is stronger. He's done great wearing it. We made a chart. He gets to put a star sticker on each little box after an hour of wearing it. 5 stickers get him a miniature Twix bar. This comes out to a tiny Twix every other day. Don't judge me for this. Incentives are good for my little Sam.

Sam's first field trip

Sam went on his first field trip today to the Hargis Pumpkin Patch. He was so excited!

He got to ride a bus for the first time. He rode with the beautiful Kelly.

Right after he threw the straw in the air he was informed not to throw the straw in the air. Whoops.

This guy had everyone's attention, especially Sam's. He was studying him closely.

Sam and Owen loved the big rock.

The kids got hand sanitizer after the hay ride. Something about that makes me laugh.

Georgia, Allison and Nikki warmed the dogs and roasted marshmallows for the kids.

I had to leave a little early to go get the babies. I paused to take a picture of the lake on my way out. I have SO many memories from Hargis. It's where I went to camp every summer. I remember the lake seeming so much larger than it really is. This picture doesn't show the whole lake, but it shows enough to capture some of it's beauty.

Doodle Buddy

Luke has started using my iPhone app "Doodle Buddy". I let him draw on the way home from school today and he was mesmerized.

Here's a masterpiece from a few days ago.

iPhone images

This past Friday night we went to a Hoover High football game. I snapped a picture of the kiddos in the parking lot. They were really great. We lasted almost the entire first half before we had to leave. I was actually surprised Laney lasted that long. We stopped by Chick Fil A to get a snack for the drive home. It was a nice evening out. I'm glad we were brave enough to give it a try. Go Bucs!

we have a biter!

if anyone can help us get luke to stop biting please call or email.

we hoped it was a fluke the first time it happened. but within a few days it has happened again.

and since he has that extra tooth, he's dangerous. sam has bled both times...

Laney's looks

Luke and Laney's new shirts

I saw some cute Halloween sayings on Cafe Press and decided to recreate them. I think they turned out pretty cute... Sam's isn't quite done.

Laney's TV Time

Sam's class party

There have been about 6 parties from Sam's class so far, and they were all big. Big to me, at least. Several "Jump Zone" parties, a party at McWane center, and a few others. They were great and I'm so glad Sam had the opportunity to go to a few of them. When his birthday came along I opted for something stress-free. I made some homemade invitations and invited his classmates to join us at a local ice cream parlor. It was great. People came and went as they pleased and the kids enjoyed the heck out of some ice cream! The kids ate and played around the fountain almost the entire time.

I don't know what Luke and Owen are doing on the left. It's like they think they're in a gang or something...ha ha. The sweet girl in the middle is Sam's girlfriend... I think. Nena's dad told me she came home one day and said "Daddy, I have to break up with some of my boyfriends. Sam asked me to marry him today so I guess he should be my only boyfriend". How cute!

Sam, Owen and Will

I LOVE this picture. I wish you all could have been there to see this. Will dropped his ice cream cone into the fountain. Sam points and yells "Oh no!!". All the while, Owen is just laughing like it's the funniest thing in the world. Love it...

Good times, good times...

our little visitor

earlier in the week a little deer decided to play on our playset. not really. i think she was trying to find her way home. she hung out in the backyard long enough for me to capture a few pictures (not good ones, i might add). then she made her way into the neighbors' fenced-in back yard and was stuck. the city sent a sheriff deputy out to help. i was on the phone with my neighbor when he showed up. i said "i think barney fife is in your back yard". he was able to free the deer and all was well...

Sam's letter

Sam got a spanking at school yesterday. It was not only his first spanking at school, but the first spanking his teacher had to give this year. I spoke with Mrs. Darden yesterday afternoon and she assured me Sam is a delight. But not yesterday. He spit at a student who got in his face. Then he was defiant when she asked him to come to her. Then he lied when asked if he spit. He spit at someone earlier in the week, so she felt she had no choice but to take him to the office. She tried to call me before the punishment was delivered, but I was at the gym so I got her voicemail once I got back to the car. After his spanking, they prayed together in the office. I am so grateful he goes to a school where bad behavior is not overlooked and where punishment is followed up with a good hug and prayer. I'm glad Sam is learning the same thing at school that he is learning at home: our choices bring consequences.

Yesterday happened to be the Briarwood Fall Festival. So even though I had already bought tickets, we decided that we wouldn't go. Sam understood why. Ron had a man-to-man talk with Sam last night and told him he needed to write a letter to Mrs. Darden. They sat at the table together and Sam wrote an apology note while Ron helped him with the spelling.

Monday, October 11

We had cinnamon rolls for Sam's birthday breakfast. He was pleased to see candles.

After breakfast we went to meet the family at the Pumpkin Patch. Sam loved the peach-shaped water tower.

I learned that NONE of my kids like cotton candy!

Sam and Luke enjoyed running up and down the big hill.

The hay ride

My favorite thing about this picture is Luke's extra tooth. I just love those two sharp teeth!

Jennifer took the next three pictures. I know they're all of Laney. My apologies to Sam and Luke...

We ended the day by having Pops and B over for dinner. Sam got to blow out more candles and finally eat some cake. He had been asking when he was going to get cake...